The present invention is related to a mobile card reader, and more particularly, to a card reader separable from a host machine, which includes a main body, a connection port, and a carrying rack. The carrying rack is mounted inside the host machine for mounting thereon a plug and separably carrying the main body. The mobile card reader provided in the present invention therefore has both features of being built-in the hot machine and being connected with the host machine from the outside.
The conventional card readers are mostly connected with the host machine from the outside via an inseparable able line which transmits the information. One end of the cable line is fixedly connected with the card reader, the other end is connected with the plug for an universal serial bus (USB). When the card reader is needed, the user has to plug the USB plug into the USB connection port on the desktop computer or notebook. In such way, not only the extra action of connecting the lines is needed, but also the space of tabletop is taken since the card reader is connected from the outside.
In the present, the capacity of memory card has been increased to 128 MBxcx9c1GB from 8xcx9c64 MB. The price has continuously gone down from the high price as well. Therefore, the card reader built-in the host machine is available in the market. However, since the card reader is not so popularized as the 3.5xe2x80x3 floppy disk drive, it will be very inconvenient for the user if the computer does not have the card reader built-in the host machine.
Thus, how to broaden the using range of card reader and overcome the limit of being built-in the host machine or being connected from the outside have become the main purpose of the present invention. In order to improve the drawbacks in the prior art, a mobile card reader is provided. Not only the limit of being built-in the host machine or being connected from the outside has been overcome, but also the using range is broadened.
The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a card reader which is separable from a host machine through a carrying rack mounted inside the host machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a card reader which is separable from a host machine by mounting a USB connection port on the card reader.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a card reader which is connected with the main machine from the outside by using the extended USB plug (extension cable terminal) to connected with the USB connection port on the card reader.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a card reader separable from a host machine includes a main body having a first card-placing slot for placing therein a first memory card, a connection port mounted on the main body for separably connecting with a plug, and a carrying rack mounted inside the host machine for mounting thereon the plug and separably carrying the main body so that the card reader can be separated from the host machine.
In accordance with the present invention, the connection port is one of a group selected from a A-type port of a universal serial bus (USB), a parallel port, a firewire of IEEE 1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers), and a specific interface.
Preferably, the plug is one of an extension cable terminal and a plug fixed on a printed circuit board.
Preferably, the printed circuit board is mounted inside the carrying rack and electrically connected with a USB (universal serial bus) connector of a mother board for reading the first memory card.
Preferably, the carrying rack includes a carrying room for receiving therein the main body.
Preferably, the carrying rack further includes a retaining device for retaining therewih the main body and an ejector for ejecting the main body.
Preferably, the carrying rack further includes an arcuate indent through which a user""s digit can insert to clip out the main body.
Preferably, the card reader is electrically connected with one of a desktop computer and a notebook via the extension cable terminal.
Preferably, the first memory card is one of a compact flash card and a micro drive card.
Preferably, the main body further includes a second card-placing slot for reading a smart media card.
Preferably, the main body further includes a third card-placing slot for reading one of a secure digital card and a multimedia card.
Preferably, the main body further includes a fourth card-placing slot for reading a memory stick.
Preferably, the card reader is a writer and includes a light-emitting diode (LED) for showing an operation status of the card reader.
Preferably, the carrying rack has a standard size of a 3.5xe2x80x3 floppy disk drive to be built-in the host machine.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a card reader separable from a host machine includes a main body having a first card-placing slot for placing therein a first memory card, and a connection port mounted on the main body for separably connecting with a plug electrically connected to the host machine so that the card reader can separated from the host machine.
Preferably, the card reader further includes a carrying rack mounted inside the host machine for mounting the plug and separably carrying the main body of the card reader.